Washington, Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
After weeks of media reports confirming that some countries and international bodies had nominated US President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, the US President signed an executive order on Friday officially changing the name of the "Department of Defense" to the "Department of War." Pentagon departments began implementing the order immediately, including modifying the website and headquarters signage.
Before signing, Trump said, "I think this name is much more appropriate, especially in light of the current global situation. We have the most powerful military in the world."
The order—according to a fact sheet obtained by CNN—requires all federal agencies to adopt the new name in official correspondence and documents, and directs Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to take the necessary executive actions to implement the change, including updating systems, documents, labels, and digital infrastructure. According to a report by Euronews, the implementation began immediately after the order was signed. Signage outside Hegseth's office at the Pentagon was changed, and the department's official website, defense.gov, was redirected to war.gov, with the "US Department of Defense" logo appearing at the top of the page, and the abbreviation "DOD" replaced with "DOW" in several headings.
"This is not just a name change; it's a restoration," said Hegseth, who stood next to Trump during the signing. "The military will attack, not just defend. We will produce warriors, not just defenders."
Although the fact sheet officially indicated that the permanent change required congressional approval, Trump told reporters, "I don't know if Congress is required to do that. We'll find out. I'm not sure it's mandatory."
Trump had announced his intention to make that decision in late August. The Republican president told reporters at the time that "the name Defense is too defensive, and we want to be offensive, too." The White House justified Trump's desire to change the name, stating that "the President believes this department should have a name that reflects its unparalleled strength and its ability to protect the national interest," recalling that the United States possesses the largest military in the world.
According to the White House, the goal is to "enforce peace through strength" and ensure "that the world once again respects the United States."
The last time the department was called the "Department of War" was before 1949, when Congress passed the National Security Act, which merged the Army, Navy, and Air Force under the name "National Military Establishment," which was later renamed the "Department of Defense" in August 1949. The department was established in 1789 as the "War Department" by order of President George Washington.
The decision is part of a series of measures taken by Hegseth, including renaming military bases such as Fort Bragg and Fort Hood, which were removed during the Biden administration due to their association with Confederate symbols—officially linking them to new historical figures bearing the same names. In June, Hegseth also ordered the renaming of an oil tanker that bore the name of gay rights activist Harvey Milk—with the new name yet to be revealed.